a year of sigur ros

Artist in Residence, or A+R, is a new quarterly music publication that may bring a new level of understanding and appreciation of your favorite musicians. The first issue is available now and focuses on Sigur Ros, which seems to be an incredibly smart move. There's a certain amount of credibility earned for choosing a band that's stunningly talented but not swimming in the mainstream.

In a Frozen Sea: A Year with Sigur Ros follows the band through their native Iceland during last year's Takk world tour. Fans will get a 32-page book of beautiful pictures of Iceland -- which I truly must visit soon -- along with interviews of the band that, according to the Web site, capture the band "in their words, in their world." But first, you'll have to decide: do you want the standard “classic” edition ($20) or the “limited edition,” which features seven records, including vinyl versions of four previous Sigur Ros albums ($150).

According to A+R's mission statement, the publication is "developed for artists who want to showcase issues of central importance in their world... Free from the conventional constraints of traditional media, A+R gives the artist complete freedom, letting them shape the look and feel of their issue."

You can check out some of the photos, watch a video or two and order either version of the issue at the A+R Web site. It's an intricately designed site, and one that you could spend a good amount of time exploring. The content in the various "rooms" will change with each new issue and new artist in residence.